Reference architecture and ontology framework for digital twin construction

Abstract

The application of digital twins in building construction faces challenges due to limited guidance on the necessary data management layers. This paper addresses this gap by investigating how the reference architecture for Digital Twin Construction (DTC) should be structured to manage planning information, raw monitoring data, and derived knowledge, as well as its data schema to compare project plans with status. By defining platform requirements and using Design Science Research Methodology, a solution was implemented and validated using a case study based on the ConSLAM dataset. A plugin-based DTC reference architecture employing multiple RDF graphs linked to specialized databases and the DTC Ontology as the internal data schema are introduced. This architecture guides construction companies in data-driven decision-making during execution. It establishes a foundation for managing digital twins and fosters the development of domain-specific services that benefit from clear data structures, supporting a holistic digital twin adaptable to project-specific needs.